Spring Movement Shoot with Marianna and Dahlia

Some shoots begin with a strict plan. Others begin with curiosity. This session started because Marianna reached out after seeing a recent self-portrait I created using motion blur and flowing fabric. She connected with the feeling of movement in the image, and with spring around the corner, I thought: why not take that idea and let it bloom into something seasonal, playful, and fresh.

The original self-portrait concept used fabric because it was the easiest way to test motion and atmosphere. For this shoot, I wanted to expand on that idea using flowers, colour, softness, and collaboration. Movement can be magical in camera, but it often helps to have someone assisting behind the scenes. That led to the next idea: what if instead of simply bringing an extra pair of hands, I invited another model who could also participate creatively?

Dahlia was the perfect fit. She and Marianna had worked together previously for Fringe Festival,a film festival in Ottawa, and I knew their existing connection would create the kind of atmosphere I value most on set: encouraging, collaborative, and fun. I was right. From the moment they arrived, they were complimenting each other, celebrating each other’s images, hyping each other up, and genuinely enjoying one another’s success. Having that kind of supportive energy in the studio changes everything. It becomes less of a shoot and more of a creative greenhouse.

Both women brought beautiful floral-forward wardrobe choices with touches of fashion and personality. Rather than following one rigid mood board, this session was intentionally experimental. I often love shoots like this because they allow room for surprise. We know the tools work, lighting, movement, styling, direction, but the magic comes from mixing those ingredients in new ways and seeing what appears.

Over four hours, we created a wide range of looks:

• motion blur with flowers in movement
• soft grey background portraits
• striking hard light black and white images
• playful duo portraits together
• blue gel lighting setups
• pink gel portraits just because it felt fun
• editorial moments that each carried their own personality

What I love most is that the final images feel like multiple separate shoots. From the outside, it looks as though each model completed several sessions over time rather than one creatively packed afternoon. That gives them a wide variety of marketing material moving forward, and it also gives me a rich set of portfolio images to share.

I even made pink frosted sprinkle cookies for the session and brought in fresh flowers, including lilies and wild purple stems. The lilies ended up being the stars because they moved beautifully on camera with more grace and softness, while the other flowers were a bit stiffer. That is part of the joy of experimenting. Sometimes props tell you who they are. 🌸

Editing this set took longer than usual, nearly three days, because there was so much variety and so many strong images to work through. But it was worth every minute.

Both Marianna and Dahlia are talented actors with excellent range, and that always translates in front of the camera. When you work with people who can shift expression, mood, and character naturally, one person can become many stories in a single session. Add genuine warmth and a collaborative spirit, and it becomes a dream to photograph.

It is always a pleasure working with these two. Some people bring clothes to set. Some people bring light. They brought both.

To see more of Marianna’s and Dahlia’s work, click the links below:

Marianna – Actor – https://www.instagram.com/marianna.kokkinos/

Dahlia – Actor – https://www.instagram.com/dahlia.lesh/